Research
Ocean Energy
Exploring Florida’s Ocean Energy Resources Research Projects: |
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Title: Buoy Array for Ocean Wave Power Generation |
| PI: Zhihua Qu Research Interests and Contact Information | |
| Co PI: Kuo-Chi Lin | |
| Description: The objective of this project is to develop a novel design that can extract ocean wave energy for commercial consumption. The design detailed herein is unique in that it is a wave point energy harvester that is small in size and contains all of the mechanical components directly within the buoy. The project focuses mainly on the mechanical system within the buoy as well as methods to control the electrical load on the system. Different mechanical systems have been developed and tested on a motion platform to simulate a vertical wave motion. These systems have been analyzed and compared in order to provide an ever-increasingly effective design. The Harris Corp. have acted as new collaborators with the project since October 1st 2010, funding four UCF senior design teams in the development of a buoy for wave power generation. | |
| Budget: $150,000 | |
| University: UCF | |
| This project has been completed. | |
| November 2011 Annual Report May 2010 Progress Report November 2010 Annual Report May 2011 Progress Report |
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Title: Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center |
| PIs: Susan H. Skemp Research Interests and Contact Information | |
| Co-PIs (at FAU): Howard P. Hanson, James VanZwieten | |
| Description: The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) was established by an award from the US Department of Energy in 2010 as an extension of FAU’s Center for Ocean Energy Technology, which was originally founded in 2007 by the 2006 Florida State University System Center of Excellence Program. The Center’s mission is to investigate ocean-based solutions to the nation’s energy challenges, specifically open-ocean current energy conversion and ocean thermal energy conversion in the Florida straits. Key drivers for investigation are determined by the regulatory process at State and Federal levels and by market and technology gaps needed to commercialize MRE. The SNMREC’s role is to bridge the gap between concept and commercial deployment of ocean energy technologies by providing at-sea testing facilities and technology development for both ocean current and thermal energy systems. Research areas span environmental, resource, economic, education, and technology topics. | |
| Budget: $8,750,000 | |
| Universities: Florida Atlantic University, with UCF, FSU, USF, ERAU, University of Miami, Oregon State University, University of Washington, Pennsylvania State University, University of New Hampshire, University of Hawaii, University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Nova Southeastern University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Florida Institute of Technology | |
| External Collaborators:Numerous industry and State and federal government as well as FFRDCs, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, U.S. Department of Energy (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Interior (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement), U.S. Department of Commerce (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and others as well as numerous industry partners. | |
| This project has been completed. | |
| November 2013 Annual Report May 2013 Progress Report November 2012 Annual Report November 2011 Annual Report May 2010 Progress Report November 2010 Annual Report May 2011 Progress Report |
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